Family Fitness Fun For
Children

I'm here to tell you
all about it. They're small, they're fun, and they're a never-ending source of
energy! Many of us already have them in our homes and, heck, we invest so much
time, effort, and money in them, why not use them to get in shape?

That's right! I'm
talking about kids! Yes, kids! You're looking for a fun way to get fit. They're
looking for a fit way to have fun, so why not exercise together?

Still not sold? Let's
have a little peek at some of the benefits:

Lifelong diet and exercise patterns develop at an
early age. You get Junior out there running around and you're giving him a
foundation of fitness that'll influence his life for the better.

It's a family thing. Communication is vital to a
family. When I say exercise, I'm not suggesting you all hop on treadmills and
spend 45 minutes staring straight ahead. I'm talking walks, swims, you know,
fun stuff that gives you a chance to chat.

Everyone wins. Obesity rates are on the rise the world
over. Getting the entire family up and out of the house gets everyone that much
more fit.

It's fun!
Sure, your kids can be punks sometimes, but they're your kids, the same silly,
little goofballs they've always been. Laugh it up with them. It's a great
cycle. Exercising together will allow you to have fun together and having fun
together will allow you to exercise together.

It's a chance to nurture. Many things kids do are so
beyond their parents. This is a simple chance to be a parent, to offer advice,
counsel or, most importantly, a listening ear.

It's a chance to learn. Get active with your kid and
you'll be able to see their strengths and weaknesses. Armed with this
information, you can become a better parent.

Sold yet? I hope so.
Now, the next step. You have the kid, you have the motivation. How do you go
about it? Here are a few ideas:

Find an activity they
like. Generally, the parents are going to be a lot more motivated than the
kids to hang out together, so let them pick the activity. If you like
basketball and they like kickball, too bad for you. Get that kicking leg warmed
up!

Remember, this is fun. Avoid words like "exercise."
Make the schedule as loose as possible. If it gets un-fun after 30 minutes,
head home. Better a little bit of fun than a forced march.

Think outside the envelope. When's the last time
you've been dancing? Or roller-skating? Or bowling? A read through your
community newspaper should offer all kinds of neat options.

Turn off the television
one day a week. That means all day, Mom and Dad, even after the kids hit
the sack. When the boob-tube is off, you'd be surprised at how much time you
suddenly have.

Y'all don't have to be attached at the hip. If you
need to jog every day, do it at the local track. Take the kids and let
them run around where you can keep an eye on them.

Non-exercise exercise. Go to an amusement park.
Have a picnic. Play mini golf. No, you won't be working towards Lance Armstrong
heroics with these activities, but you'll get exercise and you'll be a hero to
the most important peopleyour kids.

Join them during their playtime. Get out there with
the neighborhood kids. When's the last time you played kick the can? Or tag? Or
had a squirt-gun fight? Way too long, my friend.